Onley, East Midlands (England), CV23 8AP : Grove, South West England, DT5 1DL : Fortuneswell, South West England, DT5 1EQ : Bovingdon, East of England, HP3 0NZ : Griston, East of England, IP25 6RL : Clipsham, East Midlands (England), LE15 7RD : Gartree, East Midlands (England), LE16 7RP : Norwich, East of England, NR1 4LU : Upper Arncott, South East England, OX25 1PZ : Guy's Marsh, South West England, SP7 0AH : Lichfield, West Midlands (England), WS14 9QS Job Summary Please see job description Job Description National - First time prison officer recruitment scheme This role is not eligible for new Skilled Worker visas in accordance with the current immigration rules. From 22 July 2025, the Government introduced changes to the Skilled Worker visa route. The department cannot consider sponsoring you for this role unless you have held a Skilled Worker visa prior to the 22 July 2025 changes. If you have held a Skilled Worker visa continuously, please raise this during your vetting checks and eligibility will be assessed in accordance with the immigration rules and transitional provisions in place. If you are applying for this role and you have not held a Skilled Worker visa prior to the 22 July 2025 changes, you will need to consider your options for obtaining and/or maintaining your right to work in the UK in light of these changes. Successful applicants must ensure they have and maintain the legal right to live and work in the Civil Service and in the United Kingdom. The Department will continue to comply with UK Immigration Rules applied in the UK and Civil Service. You can read more about Skilled Worker visas and the eligibility criteria here. Applying for your first prison officer role and happy to relocate? Get your career off to a great start, gaining valuable experience working at one of our busier prisons. Move away to join a prison that’s 75 minutes or more from where you currently live and not only will you benefit from a greater variety of experience than you would working at a smaller prison, but you will also get higher take-home pay, your accommodation costs paid for up to 23 months, and a paid monthly trip home. Choose 3 or more prisons you’d like to work at and, wherever possible, we will aim to find you a role at one of these. You will be allocated to a prison that has the most need for prison officers at the time. After 23 months you will be deployed to a prison within daily travelling distance of your permanent address. What’s on offer? We will pay your accommodation costs (up to £750 per month) for up to 23 months You will be able to reclaim the cost of a monthly trip from your deployed prison to the prison closest to your home. You will also be paid a recruitment and retention bonus of £1500 after the first 12 month and 23-month period After 23 months you will be able to transfer to a prison in daily travelling distance of your permanent address As the prisons on First time prison officer recruitment scheme list have an ongoing need for prison officers, you should be able to start your paid training sooner than you would if you applied via our standard application process. An extraordinary job. Done by someone like you. Prison officers protect the public and help make an impact on prisoners' lives. If you have the integrity, skills and strength of character we’re looking for, this fast-paced role could be the start of a successful career. No two shifts or situations are ever the same. And, as you gain experience, you’ll find a range of opportunities to grow and develop into. Someone like you There’s no such thing as a typical prison officer. Our officers come from different walks of life, just like the offenders they work with. Whether you’re a parent, a teacher, have worked in retail, the armed forces, or just feel like you’re a natural people person, you’ll have the empathy, self-confidence, great communication skills and resilience we want. No matter the challenge, you’ll take the time to build constructive, positive and professional relationships with prisoners who could be at the lowest point in their lives. Teamwork plays a vital role in this environment, so you’ll need to be fully committed to supporting your colleagues and understand the importance of acting as one team to keep the prison, prisoners and everyone who works here safe. You will be required to work various shifts and some weekends. An extraordinary job In this unique career, you’ll have the opportunity to carry out many different roles in any one day. One minute you’re a peacekeeper, the next you’re a counsellor or a teacher. You’ll work directly with prisoners in a unique environment, helping to protect the public and make a positive impact. Job details Eligibility To Become a Prison Officer, You Will Need To: be at least 18 years old at the point you commence employment meet the Civil Service Nationality requirements (see nationality section below) as this is a physically active job, you will need to pass a medical and fitness assessment as part of the application process meet the required eyesight standard in both eyes (both with and without corrective lenses) For safety reasons, everyone training to be a prison officer needs a suitable standard of hearing (without the use of hearing aids) Travel to Work Some prison establishments are situated in rural locations with limited public transport options; therefore, a driving licence and own transport is beneficial but is not an essential requirement of the role (unless specified). Please note that shift start, and finish times are fixed, and it is your responsibility to get to and from your place of work on time for the start of your shift. Please carefully consider the location of this vacancy and your transport options before applying. Nationality Requirements This job is broadly open to the following groups: UK nationals nationals of the Republic of Ireland nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020 Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service Further information on nationality requirements https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules. Essential Skills You don’t need qualifications to become a prison officer. Personal qualities are more important. You need to show: communication and influencing skills commitment to quality effective decision-making care and understanding Pay Your pay will depend on which prison you work at and your weekly shift hours. The figures below are based on a 37 hour contract which you will remain on until you have completed your initial training. You can then choose to increase your hours to 39 or 41 hours a week. Salaries quoted are based on 37 hours per week including unsocial hours allowance. Prisons marked with an Asterix also receive a separate Market Supplement Allowance which is only payable at those prisons. Starting Salary £33,746 HMP Gartree HMP Guys Marsh HMP Norwich HMP Onley HMP Portland HMP Swinfen Hall HMP The Verne HMP Wayland Starting Salary £35,746 HMP Stocken* HMP The Mount* Starting Salary £37,247 HMP Bullingdon* On transfer to another prison after your first 23 months, your pay will change to match the salary paid at that prison. You Will Also Get: your accommodation costs paid (up to £750 per month) for up to 23 months. You will be able to reclaim the cost of a monthly trip from your deployed prison to the prison closest to your home. You will also be paid a recruitment and retention bonus of £1500 after the first 12 month and 23-month period Prisons operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This means you will have to cover various shift patterns that will include evenings, some nights, weekends and public holidays (these days are added to your holiday allowance). You may also have opportunities to work additional paid hours. Benefits 25 days’ annual holiday (rising to 30 days after 10 years’ service) paid time off for public holidays and 1 extra privilege day Civil Service pension of up to 20% of your salary cycle to work scheme, travel loans and other benefits Prison officer rewards & benefits, HM Prison & Probation Service (prisonandprobationjobs.gov.uk) Assessment Process During The Recruitment Process You Will Be Assessed On The Behaviours, Strengths And Abilities You Need To Become An Effective Prison Officer. These Include: communicating and influencing managing a quality service making effective decisions caring Your natural strengths are assessed to find out what motivates and energises you. We will also assess your numerical, written English and spoken English abilities. Online Test Once you have completed your initial application form, you will be invited to complete stage 1 of the online test, to see if you have the basic judgement and numerical skills expected of a prison officer. If you are successful, we will invite you to the stage 2 online test (task-based assessment) to see if you have the natural behaviours and qualities needed to be an effective prison officer The online assessment centre (OAC) If you pass the online test, we will invite you to an online assessment centre. We test to see if you have the abilities, behaviours and strengths to be a prison officer. Once you’ve successfully completed the online assessment centre, we will invite you to complete a medical and fitness test. This will cover an eyesight test, hearing test and basic health screening, including a blood pressure check. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application, including your CV, statement of suitability and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own. Read more about the application process. The rewards aren’t all you’ll gain from a role in the Prison Service. There’s the sense of achievement you feel when you’ve helped a prisoner to get their life back on track - the kind of experience you simply won’t find anywhere else. Job offers: merit vacancy This is a merit job vacancy. If you are successful at the online assessment centre, you will be added to a merit list based on your score. When all applicants have completed the assessment centre, the prison will make job offers to individuals with the highest scores first when positions become available. You can stay on the merit list for 12 months. After this, you’ll need to apply again. Your successful pass from assessment centre will be valid for 12 months if you want to apply for vacancies at other prisons. If your application is unsuccessful at the sift/Interview stage, a six month waiting period will be applied during which time you will not be allowed to submit any further applications for prison officer positions. Working for the Civil Service The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of Civil Servants. We Recruit By Merit On The Basis Of Fair And Open Competition, As Outlined In the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If You Feel The Recruitment Process Has Breached The Recruitment Principles You Can Raise a Formal Complaint In The Following Order: Shared Services Connected Ltd: call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or email Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com Ministry of Justice Resourcing The Civil Service Commission. We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. Disability support As a Disability Confident employer, the Ministry of Justice is committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. We can offer reasonable adjustments to help with the online tests and online assessment centre. National - First time prison officer recruitment scheme This role is not eligible for new Skilled Worker visas in accordance with the current immigration rules. From 22 July 2025, the Government introduced changes to the Skilled Worker visa route. The department cannot consider sponsoring you for this role unless you have held a Skilled Worker visa prior to the 22 July 2025 changes. If you have held a Skilled Worker visa continuously, please raise this during your vetting checks and eligibility will be assessed in accordance with the immigration rules and transitional provisions in place. If you are applying for this role and you have not held a Skilled Worker visa prior to the 22 July 2025 changes, you will need to consider your options for obtaining and/or maintaining your right to work in the UK in light of these changes. Successful applicants must ensure they have and maintain the legal right to live and work in the Civil Service and in the United Kingdom. The Department will continue to comply with UK Immigration Rules applied in the UK and Civil Service. You can read more about Skilled Worker visas and the eligibility criteria here. Applying for your first prison officer role and happy to relocate? Get your career off to a great start, gaining valuable experience working at one of our busier prisons. Move away to join a prison that’s 75 minutes or more from where you currently live and not only will you benefit from a greater variety of experience than you would working at a smaller prison, but you will also get higher take-home pay, your accommodation costs paid for up to 23 months, and a paid monthly trip home. Choose 3 or more prisons you’d like to work at and, wherever possible, we will aim to find you a role at one of these. You will be allocated to a prison that has the most need for prison officers at the time. After 23 months you will be deployed to a prison within daily travelling distance of your permanent address. What’s on offer? We will pay your accommodation costs (up to £750 per month) for up to 23 months You will be able to reclaim the cost of a monthly trip from your deployed prison to the prison closest to your home. You will also be paid a recruitment and retention bonus of £1500 after the first 12 month and 23-month period After 23 months you will be able to transfer to a prison in daily travelling distance of your permanent address As the prisons on First time prison officer recruitment scheme list have an ongoing need for prison officers, you should be able to start your paid training sooner than you would if you applied via our standard application process. An extraordinary job. Done by someone like you. Prison officers protect the public and help make an impact on prisoners' lives. If you have the integrity, skills and strength of character we’re looking for, this fast-paced role could be the start of a successful career. No two shifts or situations are ever the same. And, as you gain experience, you’ll find a range of opportunities to grow and develop into. Someone like you There’s no such thing as a typical prison officer. Our officers come from different walks of life, just like the offenders they work with. Whether you’re a parent, a teacher, have worked in retail, the armed forces, or just feel like you’re a natural people person, you’ll have the empathy, self-confidence, great communication skills and resilience we want. No matter the challenge, you’ll take the time to build constructive, positive and professional relationships with prisoners who could be at the lowest point in their lives. Teamwork plays a vital role in this environment, so you’ll need to be fully committed to supporting your colleagues and understand the importance of acting as one team to keep the prison, prisoners and everyone who works here safe. You will be required to work various shifts and some weekends. An extraordinary job In this unique career, you’ll have the opportunity to carry out many different roles in any one day. One minute you’re a peacekeeper, the next you’re a counsellor or a teacher. You’ll work directly with prisoners in a unique environment, helping to protect the public and make a positive impact. Job details Eligibility We Recruit By Merit On The Basis Of Fair And Open Competition, As Outlined In the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If You Feel The Recruitment Process Has Breached The Recruitment Principles You Can Raise a Formal Complaint In The Following Order: Shared Services Connected Ltd: call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or email Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com Ministry of Justice Resourcing The Civil Service Commission. We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. Disability support As a Disability Confident employer, the Ministry of Justice is committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. We can offer reasonable adjustments to help with the online tests and online assessment centre. Person specification Please See Job Description Alongside your salary of £33,746, HM Prison & Probation Service contributes £9,776 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page. Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ Selection process details If you require any assistance, please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am-6pm) or e-mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk Please quote the job reference 11222. The jobholder must be able to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English or (when specified in Wales) Welsh. Closing Date: 24th November 2025 Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. Security Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks. Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks. Medical Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical. Nationality requirements This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups: UK nationals nationals of the Republic of Ireland nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window) nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020 Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) Working for the Civil Service The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. Diversity and Inclusion The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window). Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records. Contact point for applicants Job Contact : Name : SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team Email : Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com Telephone : 0845 241 5358 Recruitment team Email : Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com Further information Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles and would like to raise this, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance. If the role has been advertised externally (outside of the Civil Service) and you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitment/complaints https://justicejobs.avature.net/careers/JobDetail/11222